How To: Strengthen your credit score

An invisible number controls your financial destiny. So until the revolution, you might as well learn how to raise your credit score.

You Will Need:

* Your credit reports
* Your credit score
* Willpower

Order your credit score from Equifax: It is the only agency that provides the actual number—called the FICO score—used by lenders. Get the balance on each credit card down to 30 percent of your credit limit. Exceeding that lowers your score. Do not close older accounts. Having a credit history is important, even if your payment past is spotty.